Hammock



A. DIGKEY.

(No Model.)

HAMMOGK.

No. 881,538. Patented Apr. 24,1888.

Witnesses Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

ADAM DIOKEY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO.

HAMMOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,538, dated April 24%, 1888.

Application filed October 5, 1887. Serial No. 251,486. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADAM DICKEY, of Hamilton, Butler county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hainmocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hammocks for lawn and house use, and will be readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompa nying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hammock illustrating my improvements, the hammock being shown in vertical suspended position; Fig. 2, a side view of the same, shown in similar suspended position, this view also showing in dotted lines the hammock in a suspended position, adapting it to serve as a seat or chair with a high back; and Fig. 3, a perspective view on a relatively large scale, show ing a portion of one of the hammock-ropes with the attached end of one of the hammockslats and the attached end of one of the stretchcr-bars, this view representing the parts as turned upside down-that is to say, in Fig. 3 the hannnockrope appears above the hammockslat, while normally the rope passes below.

In the drawings, A indicates posts between which the hammock is to be suspended, these posts typifying any pair of rigid objects adapted for the purpose; B, the hammock-ropes, the same consisting of a pair of ropes placed side by side at a distance apart equal to nearly the transverse width of the hammock proper, these ropes bet-ween the ends of the hammock proper andtheposts A convergingto a common attaching'rope, by which the pair of hammockropes are attached to the posts in the usual manner.

0 represents a series of light slats, preferably of vertical flexible wood, laid side by side transversely across and upon the hammockropes B, these ropes passing just under the ends of the slats.

D represents reliefs cut in each edge of each of these slats, whereby the slats become wide where they rest upon the ropes and narrow between the ropes.

E are stretcher-bars, one at each end and against the series of slats, the ends of these bars engaging the hammock-ropes, as illus trated, by transverse holes, through which the ropes freely pass. 7

F are keepers to serve in locking the stretcher-bars to the hammock-ropes, these keepers being formed in the illustration by wedges inserted alongside the ropes in the holes in the stretcher-bars; and G are ropeguides attached near the ends of the slats and engaging the ropes, so as to permit the ready transverse movement of the slats upon the ropes, the ropeguidcs being formed, as illustrated, by staples secured in the under side of the slats.

hen the hammock is in the position indicated in Fig. I, it may be used as an ordinary lounging-hammock, the slat -w0rk yielding freely to the pressure of the body. The openings formed between the slats by the reliefs 1) permit the individual donation of continuous slats without danger of one slat catching under the edge of its neighbor. These openings also provide free circulation of air and endow the central portion of the slats with increased suppleuess. Each end of each slat is at liberty to slide individually upon the ropes, thus permitting the slats to separate more at one end than at the other, where conformity to the loungers form requires it.

In case the hammock is suspended between or near shade-trees and it be found that the sunshine is reaching the hammock, the entire slat-work and stretchers may be shifted along the ropes in either direction, so as to possibly find a more shady place.

With the ropes stretched nearly horizontal, as indicated in Fig. 1, a superior elevation may be given to either end of the hammock by sliding the slat work and stretchers bodily along the ropes inthe direction toward which the higher end is desired, whereby the end of the hammock takes position on a more elevated portion of the rope.

The stretcher-bars and the slats engage the ropes,so as to slide with perfect freedom. The longitudinal strains which would be brought upon the initial and terminal slats of the series by the forcible tendency of the ropes to approach each other when weight is applied to these slats, would, in the absence of the stretcher-bars, tend to dislocate the rope-guides and to unduly flex and possibly break the slats. The stretcher-bars are formed with a superior stitiness,and relieve the end slats enforms apeeuliarly comfortable swinging chair.

When the hammock proper is substantially horizontal, as indicated in Fig. 1, or when it is so moved upon the ropes as to have one end slightly elevated above the other, the inner strains of the two ropes, in their engagement with the stretcher-bars, is sufficient, when weight is put upon the hammock, to prevent the descent of the hammock proper down the slight incline of the ropes; but when the'hammock is arranged in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2,this strained engagement of the ropes with the lower stretcher-bar is not sufficient to prevent the stretcher-bar and slats from sliding down the ropes. In such case, and in all cases where requisite, the stretcher-bar is, after adjustment upon the ropes, locked to the ropes by means of the keepers F, which are shown in the exemplification as being simply wedges pushed into the holes in the stretcher alongside the hammock-ropes. With the parts as shown in dotted line in Fig. 2, and with the lower stretcher thus secured to the ropes by the keepers, there can be no downward shifting of the hammock proper upon the ropes.

The hammock-ropes may of course be formed of cordage or wire.

I claim as my invention, 1. In a hammoek,the combination, substantially as set forth,of a pair of ropes,B,adapted to be attached to posts, aseries of slats superposed transversely upon the said ropes, and rope-guides attached near the ends of the individual slats and loosely engaging the ropes, so as to permit the slats to move individually and collectively along the ropes.

2. In a hammock, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a pair of hammockropes,a series of slats superposed transversely upon said ropes, each slat having broadened ends and narrowed intermediate portio'ns,and rope-guides attached near the ends of the individual slats and loosely engaging the ropes, so as to permit the slats to move individually and collectively along the ropes.

3. In a hammock,the combination, substanstantially as set forth, of a pair of hammockropes,a series of slats superposed transversely upon the ropes, rope guides attached at the ends of the slats and loosely engaging the ropes, so as to permit the slats to move individually and collectively along the ropes, and stretcher-bars engaging theropes and disposed against the initial and terminal slats of the series.

4. In a hammock,the combination, substantially as set forth,of a pairof hammock-ropes, a series of slats superposed transversely upon the ropes, ropeguides attached near the ends of the slats and loosely engaging the ropes, so as to permit the slats to move individually and collectively along the ropes, a stretcher-bar loosely engaging the-ropes at one end of the series of slats, and keepers serving to lock the stretcher-bar to the ropes.

ADAM DIOKEY.

\Vitnesses:

W. A. SEWARD, O. A. FISHER. 

